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An Ode to Braids

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Tis but a dream to think that natural hair is easy, if your not struggling to detangle, your fighting with those pesky single strand knots, or worse! Waking up with a perfectly matted mess that makes you feel like grabbing a japanese sword and going all afro samurai on your hair!

For the past few weeks, Mary and I have been wearing unworthy twists, wonky buns and rocking the headscarfs....everyday dreaming of theses times;

Braids sure make Mary happy!

Clean braids while donning nightwear!

So? Protective style challenge, its ON! 3 months of braids or kinky twists! No more having to wake up to do hair and grabbing scarfs just to avoid spritzing and sealing. We shall braid in the next week and try keep the braids in for minimum 4 weeks.

Disclaimer : We do love our hair, its just thats handling braids is so much easier and such a good protective style.

For the Meet up, we do encourage guys to carry products for the swap and we are really looking forward to meeting all of you!

I'm always torn on this topic, because when I'm wearing braids I feel like I'm "betraying" my natural hair ie are braids really any better than weaves? I guess braids look more "African" especially kinky twists so the "natural" concept is still sort of there, but you could argue that a weave is a better protective style because all your hair is hidden from the elements in cornrows instead of heavy braids pulling putting tension on your hair. But after my 2+ years of natural hair wearing a straight weave with bangs seems just wrong.

Sigh...

However after almost 4 weeks of my hair out, I need to put a protective style asap. I was thinking about cornrows but I feel like without extensions I would look like too much of a primary school kid

@Maria, I am just not a fan of weaves coz as much as I clean my hair under the weave it still feels like my scalp is suffocated. The braider I got to is very good in that, when she is braiding and after my braids do not feel tight and she is gentle on my edges. I also avoid putting the braids in ponytails or tight buns to avoid tension. I saw a lady yesterday with a straight weave and a blunt fringe....I wanted to go back to weaving. Try cornrows for sure...maybe add very little extensions@Imani...me and box braids will be best friends for 3 months..no cheating on each other

Once upon a time, I also used to think that extensions were the easiest way to manage my hair. I lived in extensions!

However after deciding that I was going to manage my hair full time in its full natural state, I have quickly seen that it was my mind that was distorted.

In Kenya there is a view that that braids should be smooth and totally fuzz free which is totally the opposite of natural hair.

Having embraced my fuzzy halo I do not envision ever wearing braids again. I did some kinky twist extensions about 2-3 years ago and they lasted all of 4 days because I felt they were heavy and unnatural.

I am currently wearing small braids (own hair) and this is week 9, no knots, no tangles, no matts. (I undid and redid the whole lot from the initial braiding between week 6 and 8).

How i envy you gals that are good with braids! This is my second week in afro braids and I'm really straining to keep them on for a least another week. My braids get untidy soo fast and I feel so bad for my edges:-( coz they still shed even when i try not to pull them. Aarggh!

I am still on my kinky twists phase... the first couple of days they are very stiff and heavy, lol, but after they "settle" and soften, I love the look ie my fuzzy hair showing through is ok because the extensions themselves are fuzzy.

But my poor edges... they're growing back in after a stupid decision to put "Makeba" braids ie fat heavy braids a la 90s Brandy, but still afraid to braid them... so I leave about half an inch of hairline unbraided. But now that the edges are a bit longer... it looks super wierd :(

@Curly Natural Me,I find my braids also get fuzzy quick but I sleep with a scarf which lays down my edges and keeps the braids neat...also avoid washing them more than once a week. As for the edges if your hair cannot handle it...just look into other protective styles.@Maria We shall defo discuss this...Thanks for that